Energy Resilience Specialist (Project Position)

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Description

**Application Deadline Extended**

Energy Resilience Specialist (Project Position / Emergency Management Program Specialist 3)
At the Department of Commerce, we’re reimagining what’s possible in government. We’re builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we’re turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places.

Our agency’s strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work. We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes. We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

Let’s build what’s next, together.

The Energy Division (Energy) catalyzes the transition to a clean and just energy future.

Position Objective: This position serves as a state resource in energy resilience, emergency management, and energy security and is responsible for supporting the administration and refinement of the Washington State Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Office. This position works within the direction of the Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Director to implement and execute RCW 43.21F.045 to ensure proper planning, response, and restoration coordination across government and private sector. Specifically, this Project Position leads work to implement the WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project, funded through a Subaward Agreement with the WA State Military Department under the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The work will be carried out as part of the energy resilience technical assistance program and under the coordination of the Energy Resilience Technical Assistance Program Manager. This Project Position reports directly to the Senior Program Manager for Energy Resilience & Mitigation and conducts outreach work with state agencies, tribal governments, county and local jurisdictions, community organizations, and the private sector to coordinate the tasks associated with Project Deliverables. This Project Position will also coordinate with contractors performing technical tasks related to Project Deliverables. Project Deliverables encompass inventorying, assessing, measuring, planning, and reporting of energy reliability, resilience, prevention, mitigation, and restoration capabilities for critical energy infrastructure. This Project Position will foster collaborative relationships with energy sector partners to enhance and improve disaster resiliency statewide.

This Project position is dependent on continued funding and will end no later than May 31, 2027.

Duties

Energy Resilience and Hazard Mitigation Planning Technical Assistance:
  • Administers and leads work for the WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project in order to support the completion of Project Deliverables.
  • Supports the statewide energy resilience planning and technical assistance program work on the WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project. Lead specific planning efforts, provide technical assistance, and engage stakeholders to include but not limited to:
o Small and rural electric utilities, other energy industry development partners, the private sector, non-profits, state agency, cities, counties, and tribal emergency managers.
o Integrate energy resilience and mitigation planning as part of local planning programs.
o Conduct outreach and education efforts with statewide critical infrastructure, private industry, non-profits, and state, local, and tribal governments to support resilience and mitigation activities.
  • Provide direct technical assistance such as, but not limited to:
o Energy resilience and hazard mitigation strategic planning, project planning support for implementation of local energy resilience and hazard mitigation plans, energy technology education, identification of critical facilities, interdependences with other critical infrastructure sectors and essential services, hazard assessment analysis, and baseline review of potential energy resilience solutions with the local utility, technical expertise to support understanding of engineering studies, assessments, and/or analysis.
o Coordinate identified statewide hazards and contextual information with appropriate subject matter experts, WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project technical contractors, energy providers, and local and state agencies.
  • Lead specific energy resilience planning efforts and engage stakeholders for the WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project to include but not limited to:
o Reviewing planning guidance and best practices for energy resilience and mitigation plans.
o Conferring with internal and external stakeholders in order to obtain relevant information to complete necessary planning documents and project deliverables.
o Organizing, developing, and facilitating workshops with partners to review planning documents and support community-led decision making.
o Support internal programs that have a focus on energy resilience and mitigation planning efforts.
  • Stakeholder Engagement
o Develop, facilitate, and manage all of the hazard mitigation planning outcomes from each meeting, workshop, roundtable and forum; additional tasks include: logistics for events, developing agendas, budget requests, project plans, note taking and production of reports.
o Support community engagement in compliance with RCW 70A.02.050: Equitable community engagement and public participation. Conduct all community engagement under the coordination of the Energy Resilience Program manager using the developed TA Program Frameworks. Develop and maintain trusted relationships with energy sector partners, critical infrastructure partners, state agencies, local and tribal agencies and governments, individual and organizational community partners, academic institutions, and other relevant groups that support the mission of statewide energy resilience.
o Develop comprehensive and complex written reports, analyses of progress on meeting goals, additional resource needs, and publications as required by various internal and external partners. Support the development of specific WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project deliverables under the direction of the Project Lead and in collaboration with other project staff and technical contractors.
  • Travel is an essential function of this role to ensure all duties and functions can be appropriately fulfilled by a subject matter expert on providing direct technical assistance.

Data Management, Analysis, Strategic Planning, and Reporting:
o Support the effort to update and collect new energy critical infrastructure data, conduct data analysis, and other data visualization tools to support county, local, and Tribal, governments, and regional community-led planning teams with energy resilience planning, prioritization for potential funding opportunities, identification of infrastructure interdependences, and support for implementing the state energy resilience strategy.
o Collaborate with the Project Lead and other project staff on strategic planning to achieve specific deliverables for the WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project.
o Provide quarterly metrics, work plan and other project reports and summaries to assess the progress and success of the WA Commerce Energy Resilience Scoping – Eastern WA and North Olympic Peninsula project.

Provide support for Emergency Support Function (ESF) 12 Team during emergencies and recovery operations:
  • Implement response and recovery activities directed by the team lead and provide regular updates on completed and outstanding activities.
  • Function as the lead situation unit or lead documentation unit as necessary.
  • Provide support to the Critical Infrastructure Branch at the State Emergency Operation Center as necessary.
  • Coordinate with the Washington Military Department / Emergency Management Division (EMD), statewide energy sector partners, and other state agencies during activations.
  • Deploy to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) at Camp Murray during a declared emergency as necessary.
  • May serve as the team duty officer as assigned.

Qualifications

Eight (8) years of combined experience and/or education as described below or two (2) years of experience as an Emergency Management Program Specialist 2.


Experience must include three or more of the following areas or work related to the position:
  • Emergency management
  • Homeland security
  • Disaster or hazard mitigation planning
  • Emergency communications systems
  • Financial management (grant management, contracting, claims management, budgeting)
  • Training/education
  • Public information/affairs
  • Program/project management
  • Scientific environmental analysis or planning
  • Civil/structural engineering, and/or urban planning.
Note: Qualifying Program/Project management is defined as: directing, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating a project or program having a specific goal to be achieved within a specific time frame.


Education involves emergency management, homeland security, disaster or hazard mitigation planning, public information/affairs, program/project management, scientific environmental analysis or planning, urban planning or related field. Qualifying education post high school or equivalent may be substituted year for year for experience.


Examples of how to qualify:
  • 8 years of experience
  • 7 years of experience and one year of education
  • 6 years of experience and two years of education
  • 5 years of experience and three years of education
  • 4 years of experience and four years of education
  • 3 years of experience and five years of education
  • 2 years of experience and six years of education
  • 1 years of experience and seven years of education

Required Position Competencies:
  • Demonstrated technical/legal knowledge and aptitude of principles of hazard mitigation, disaster, and/or energy resilience planning; experience working with community-led planning groups or community informed emergency planning processes.
  • Ability to: follow, monitor and evaluate a project or program having a specific goal to be achieved within a specific time; communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; convey ideas and information in writing using language that is appropriate to both the complexity of the topic and the knowledge and understanding of the listener/reader.
  • Accountability-Meets commitments, works independently, accepts accountability, handles change, sets personal standards, stays focused under pressure, and meets attendance/punctuality requirements.
  • Customer Service-Handles customer questions and complaints, communicates with customers, handles service problems politely and efficiently, always available for customers, follows procedure to solve customer problems, maintains pleasant and professional image.
  • Integrity-Deals with others in a straightforward and honest manner, is accountable for actions, maintains confidentiality, supports organizational values, and professionally conveys good news and bad.
  • Leadership-Leads through change and adversity, makes the tough call when needed, builds consensus when appropriate, motivates and encourages others.
  • Teamwork-Meets all team deadlines and responsibilities, listens to others and values opinions, helps team leader to meet goals, welcomes newcomers and promotes a team atmosphere.
  • Results Focus-Targets and achieves results, sets challenging goals, prioritizes tasks, overcomes obstacles, accepts accountability, follows team standards and responsibilities.
  • Communication-Communicates well both verbally and in writing, creates accurate and punctual reports, delivers presentations, shares information and ideas with others, has good listening skills.
  • Organizational Savvy-Operates within the organization's formal and informal structures, builds allies and relationships across departments, uses allies to build consensus and create results, is appropriately diplomatic, understands others' roles and perspectives, can sell projects and ideas across the organization.
  • Computer Skills-Skilled in the use of computers, adapts to new technology, keeps abreast of changes, learns new programs quickly, use computers to improve productivity.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
  • Demonstrated technical/legal knowledge and aptitude of principles of emergency management, the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the incident command system; performance management principles; concepts for development of training using adult learning styles; state and federal rules and regulations related to critical infrastructure, hazard mitigation, and/or disaster planning.
  • One year experience working with catastrophic, comprehensive emergency management, infrastructure protection, recovery, hazard mitigation, business continuity, or continuity of operations plans.
  • Knowledge of and experience facilitating an emergency planning process
  • Experience working with energy sector stakeholders such as electrical utilities and petroleum refiners.
  • Knowledge of generation, transmission, and distribution systems for the electrical grid, petroleum, and liquid natural gas systems.
  • Demonstrated skills in facilitation and stakeholder work.
  • Demonstrated communications skills and experience gathering and documenting customer requirements.
  • Experience with Microsoft Office. Experience with GIS and other data analysis programs and systems, including ESRI.

To be considered for this position, the following are needed:
  • A complete and detailed online application.
  • A cover letter (enter online).
  • At least three professional references (enter online).

For questions about this recruitment, please contact our recruitment team via email: comrecruitment@commerce.wa.gov - please reference the job number in your message.

Supplemental Information

Work from Anywhere in Washington State
This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required. If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.

Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can't log in, password or email issues, error messages). DES job seeker support may answer general questions regarding the recruiting system at careershelp@des.wa.gov.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process or this job announcement in an alternative format may email Human Resources at Human.Resources@commerce.wa.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Department of Commerce also offers a competitive benefits package including: medical and dental insurance benefits, retirement and deferred compensation plans, 11 paid holidays each year, 14-25 vacation days per year (depending on length of employment), 8 hours of sick leave per month (if full time employed), bereavement leave, an employee assistance program, as well as other benefits. Please see the Benefits Tab for more details.

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